Wrench set



March 14, 1933. T L 1,900,915

WRENCH SET Filed Feb. 11, 1952 i'werzi'ol" J1 7 2y fly;

Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES on ooNNncTIcuT PATENT OFFICE 1 WILLIAM F. COSTELLO, or NEW BRITAIN, 'o'oNNncTIcnT, AssIeNoR TO THE- NEW BRITAIN MACHINE COMPANY, on NEW BRITAIN, coN Ec IcUT, A CORPORATION WRENCH SE1" Application filed February 11, 1932. semi No. 592,309.

This invention relates to holders for wrenches of the flat, doubled-headed type,

and pertains .more particularly to wrench,

sets in; which a plurality of graduated in superposed relation by the improved holder. The principal purpose of the invention is to provide aholder which may economically manufactured, quickly and easily applied to the wrenches, and readily disengaged therefrom; and which extends longitudinally about the stacked wrenches and passes between the jaws of the respective wrench heads, thereby securely to bind the'wrenches together against accidental displacement relative to each other.

The more specific features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the recommended embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and

will be pointed out in the appended claims. It will be understood, however, that the proportions and structural details of the devices herein described may be varied to suit particular purposes without departing from the essence of this invention as defined in said claims. r

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a wrench set constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the improved holder in open position for the reception of the wrenches; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of Fig. 3.

In the particular embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration, the wrench set or package comprises a series of ordinary fiat, double-headed wrenches having straight 0 shanks5 and enlarged heads 6 at the opposite ends thereof, the respective heads having sockets, preferably in the form of recess or jaw openings 7 of varying size, and the respective shanks being graduated in length 4 according to the size of the end jaws. It

will be understood, however, that the wrench shanks may be curved and that the number and size of wrenches may be varied, as desired; and it will be apparent that the im- 0 proved holder is adapted for use with the wrenches are secured as an assembled unit ordinary S-type, double-headed wrench, as well as'with the straight wren'chesherein illustrated.

The several wrenches are stacked in superposed relation within a holder, which preferably comprises a substantially rigid base member 8 having an integral, upwardly and inwardly extending, resilient arm 9 at one end thereof, a strap member 10 suitably hinged as at 11 to the opposite end of the base 8, and a connecting link such as the loop 12 pivoted at; 13 to said strap and adapted releasably to engage the free end of the resilient arm 9, which preferably is formed with a rounded shoulder or catch 14 over which the loop 12 may be snapped to lock the holder about the wrenches. Thelength of the'base plate 8 is approximately equal to or slightly greater than the distance between the recessed portions 7 of 3 a the bottom wrench, and the holder arm 9 and strap 10 are preferably formed with elbows l5.and- 16 respectively: adapted to engage over the upper surfaces of the respective heads of said bottom wrench. The parts 9 ward the inwardly bent portion of the arm 9 until-the arm is seated between the jaws at-that end of the holder. The strap '10 is then swung inwardly between the jaws at the opposite ends of the wrenches so thatit seats within the recessed heads or jaw openings thereof; and the loop or connector 12 is swung into locking engagement overthe shouldered end 1 1 of the arm 9 tightly to bind the wrenches together; The wrenches arereadily removedjfrom the holder after releasing the retaining loop 12 and swinging the strap 10 outwardly to open position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The connector 12 is engaged with the shouldered end of the resilient arm 9 with a snap action and is easily disengaged by pressing the shoulder portion 14 inwardly and downwardly to release the loop.

It is evident from the foregoing that the use of my improved holder not only securely binds the wrenches together so that they can not be accidentally separated, but also prevents both longitudinal shifting and transverse displacement of the wrenches by reason of the engagement of the upstanding end portions 9 and 10 of the holder between the jaws of the wrench heads. A set of double-headed wrenches, whether straightshanked or S-type, may be packaged in this manner for shipment and sale; and the holder also provides a convenient retainer within which the wrenches may be held together as a unit when not in use. While the holder herein illustrated and described is made of sheet metal, it is obvious that it may be fashioned of rod or wire elements or of other suitable material without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I claim:

1. A holder for a graduated set of superposed, double-headed wrenches, comprising a substantially rigid base member adapted to underlie the bottom wrench of the series and having an upwardly and inwardly bent end portion engageable between the jaws of the several corresponding wrench ends, and strap means pivotally connected to the opposite end of the base member and detachably connectable to the said bent end portion, said means being adapted to extend upwardly between the opposite jaws of the wrenches and over the top of the uppermost wrench.

2. A holder for a graduated set of superposed, double-headed wrenches, comprising a substantially rigid base member adapted to underiie the bot-tom wrench of the series and havin g an upwardly and inwardly extending resilient member engageable between the jaws of the several corresponding wrench ends, and strap means pivotally connected to the opposite end of the base member and detachably connectable to the said resilient member, said means being adapted to extend upwardly between the opposite jaws of the wrenches and over the top of the uppermost wrench.

3. A holder for a graduated set of superposed. doubleheaded wrenches, comprising a substantially rigid base member adapted to underlie the bottom wrench of the series and having an upwardly and inwardly bent end portion engageable between the jaws of the several corresponding wrench ends, a strap member pivoted to the opposite end of said base member and engageable between the opposite jaws of the wrenches and overlying the uppermost wrench of the series, and a loop member for detachably fastening said strap member to said end portion.

4. A holder for a graduated set of superposed, double-headed wrenches, comprising a substantially rigid base member adapted to underlie the bottom wrench of the series and having an upwardly and inwardly bent end portion engageable between the jaws of the several corresponding wrench ends, a strap member pivoted to the opposite end of said base member and engageable between the opposite jaws of the wrenches and overlying the uppermost wrench of the series, and a connecting member for detachably fastening said strap member to said end portion, said strap member and said end portion tapering upwardly substantially to conform to the diminishing jaw widths of the successive wrenches.

Signed by me at New Britain, Connecticut, this 22nd day of January 1932.

lVILLIAM F. COSTELLO. 

